After 27 years of teaching at Malvern Prep, Mrs. Mary Schreiner will retire at the end of this year.

Middle school teacher and school counselor Mrs. Mary Schreiner has announced her retirement at the end of the 2016-17 school year.

In her years as a teacher, Schreiner has loved watching and supporting Malvern students learning at their own pace.

“I think that is what I enjoy the most, seeing the boys get it when they are ready, because they are not all ready at the same time. Just like there are physical growth spurts, there are cognitive growth spurts, and they grow at different rates,” Schreiner said.

Before coming to Malvern Prep, Schreiner was born and raised in North Jersey. She went to college at Kansas State University where she received her bachelor’s degree in education. While at college, she met her husband and moved back to North Jersey for a few years until they both moved close to Philadelphia due to her husband’s job. Schreiner earned her master’s degree in counseling at West Chester University.

When she first came to Malvern, she began teaching pre-algebra and physical sciences. After a year or two, she was able to drop physical sciences and only teach math classes.

One of Schreiner’s past students, sophomore Ryan Mills, took her pre-algebra class in sixth grade.

“I enjoyed her class very much,” Mills said. “My favorite part about her and her class was how she taught. She would always crack jokes in class, yet be serious when it was time to be serious. It’s hard to not enjoy her class be cause she is so nice and such a good teacher.”

Math teacher Mr. Gary Duda has been teaching with her for 24 years.

“She is just a very caring and loving person, she has always been that way. She has been consistent throughout her years here. She hasn’t budged, she is tough and fair, and always wants the best for everyone,” Duda said. “We certainly are going to miss her. She has been a constant here at Malvern Prep. Malvern Prep is certainly a better place because of Mary.”

Some of Schreiner’s favorite events on campus are the graduations and the advancement ceremonies.

“Graduations are always so special. There is nothing like our advancement ceremony and to watch my middle schooler boys go down through that procession when we have a senior recognition and to watch them graduate has been powerful for me,” she said.

Another bittersweet and emotional memory for Schreiner was September 11, 2001.

“That day was a horrible day as you may have imagined. I went out to the Mary statue. I felt the boys needed some exercise that day. Being new to the campus, the sixth graders hadn’t seen the hill or the Mary statue,” Schreiner said.

“I remember looking at her against the deep blue sky, it was so beautiful. I asked the boys to say a prayer to our heavenly mother for our brothers and sisters in New York, and they all fell to their knees and prayed. I didn’t ask them to do that. That was a deep memory I have, I never will forget that,” Schreiner said.

Over the years, Schreiner acknowledged that education has changed, but she is still strongly against some of the changes.

“I have always been resistant to things like My Malvern or Backpack. I don’t like that middle school teachers post their homework because I think that promotes irresponsibility,” she said.

As the year winds down these last few days, Schreiner will say goodbye to many, but she appreciates her time at Malvern.

“[I’ve] grown to love Malvern, love the Malvern community, and Augustinian community. It has just been a great blessing to myself personally, professionally, and it has been a blessing to my family so I am really grateful for my time here,” Schreiner said.